1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a soil sampling tool, and particularly to a hand operated soil sample core extraction tool such as used by farmers to take samples of soil in order to determine the composition of the soil.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many serious back injuries have resulted from "pulling" a soil probe. With a conventional probe handle and rod combination the handle becomes closer to the ground with each successive section of the core that is pulled. The force required to pull the core can be more than 300 pounds, with the average being about 80 to 90 pounds. Man can most safely produce the greatest lifting force in the final 15.degree. of leg extension.
A soil sampling tube fitted with a conventional rod and handle is forced into the ground by pushing downward on the handle. Shoulder, wrist, and arm injuries can result particularly when working with hard ground conditions.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,891,812, issued June 23, 1959 to L. W. Gourley, sets forth a soil sampling device provided with a section of pipe having affixed thereto a handle, a probe, and a footstep disposed for facilitating insertion of the probe into soil being sampled. A second pipe is slidably disposed on the first pipe and is provided with a lower section which facilitates removal of a sample from the probe. Insertion of the lower section is carried out by use of a second footstep attached to the second pipe. The device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,891,812, however, is directed to the problems of driving a sampling probe a short distance into hard ground and obtaining accurate core samples, and fails to approach the problem of eliminating the long arm and leg extensions encountered when "pulling" a conventional soil probe.
I am aware of the following patents that may be pertinent to the invention:
______________________________________ 684,010 A. Thalheimer Oct. 8, 1901 1,548,865 G. F. Bull Aug. 11, 1925 2,531,297 J. J. Rose Nov. 21, 1950 2,957,722 D. Ferraro Oct. 25, 1960 ______________________________________